KINGSTON — When the Kingston Junior High basketball team hits the court next week, coach Tony Chisholm will have a familiar player to lean on. Jared Prince, who helped quarterback Chisholm’s Kingston Junior High football team last season, will be part of a quick, sharp-shooting Cavalier team.

Prince is the only returning varsity player from last year’s 6-6 Cavalier team.

“Prince’ll definitely have to be a floor general,” Chisholm said. “I think he’ll be able to handle it.”

While Prince will be one of the Cavaliers’ leaders, he will not be the only one. Chisholm is looking for every varsity player to step up.

“It’s a very inexperienced team at the varsity level,” Chisholm said, “but there’s a lot of talent stepping up from (last year’s) junior varsity, and some new kids to the school.”

The varsity team includes Prince, Todd Sand, Andy Sturza, John Adler, Blake Buel, Sean Carlson, Ryan Erickson, Kevin Gartin, Ishan Gholagong, Jordan Henry, John Lamsma, Jacob Luttrell, and Kenny Webster.

While Chisholm and assistant coach Dave Snyder are still ironing out the offense and defense (“It’s a typical preseason basketball team” Chisholm said), they see a team with size across the front line, speed, and some shooting ability.

“I feel great about this team,” Chisholm said. “Our outside shooting could be fairly strong. I think we should be able to run, press, and trap.”

He said Buel, Prince, and Jordan Henry can hit from the outside — “Our guards are very good shooters.”

He is also excited about the play of center Lamsma. “He’s been working hard all offseason,” Chisholm said. “I’m excited to see him play this year.”

Chisholm is also excited about the play of Henry, who was a receiver on the gridiron but will play guard on the hardwood; Andy Sturza, about whom Chisholm said, “He’s so efficient; you have to like that about him. I call him Steady Sturza”; and Blake Buel, who will be a point guard. “He’s looking really good,” Chisholm said.

“I just want to put a good basketball team on the floor,” Chisholm said. “i want us to play as hard as we can every game. As a coach, I need to focus on getting the best five out there, focus on good coaching decisions, and put my team in a position to win.”

Center Lamsma, a ninth-grader, helped himself by training with some of the high school players over the summer. “We were mostly scrimmaging,” he said, ‘but I was playing against bigger players.” Lamsma believes working against bigger players may make him a better player.

“We’re a quick team,” said Andy Sturza. “We should be able to get around the defense, rather than go over them.”

He said, “The team’s looking good. We should be ready for our first game.”